Germany Claim Confederation Cup After 1-0 Victory Over Chile

Germany have won two international football matches in the space of 48 hours after lifting the Confederation Cup at St. Petersburg on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, midfielders Mesut Ozil and Toni Kroos, and forward Thomas Muller have been rested before next summer’s World Cup, leaving coach Joachim Loew to pick a very youthful side which in the prelude to the match some had suggested was a reserve.

But the new generation emerged victorious after the 1-0 victory over South American champions Chile in Russia, their first win of this title.

Chile and Germany had fought out a 1-1 draw in the group stage, with Chile scoring an early goal and Germany equalising shortly before the break.

Chile were the dominant side in the first half of this final, but it was Borussia Monchengladbach striker Lars Stindl that struck the only goal of the match against the run of play after a defensive blunder midway through the first half.

Chile midfielder Marcelo Diaz made an error on the edge of his own box, having dropped in between his centre backs, he turned away from Stindl, but failed to notice Timo Werner, who robbed him of possession and squared the ball for Stindl to tap in.

The goal, Stindl’s third of the tournament made the player joint top scorer in the Confederations Cup alongside team-mates Goretzka and Werner.

The lead could have been doubled just before the break had Julian Draxler’s low strike from the edge of the box been on target, rather than just off.

“It is worth a lot, because Germany has never won this trophy in our history,” Loew told a news conference.

“So this team and this victory will go down in history. The team absolutely deserved it and that’s why we’re all super happy.